Hostal Mare Nostrum Blog

Typical Spanish PART III: Paella

Paella is one of the most typical Spanish dishes, mostly next to the Mediterranean Sea, where there are hundreds and hundreds of different recipes for paella: meat paella, seafood paella, vegetable paella...
We would like to warn you that this receip never turns out the same: it always taste different! So, do not worry if it's never the same: it happens to all paella cookers!
We love this receip, which is delicious!!
MEAT AND VEGETABLES PAELLA WITH SHRIMPS
Ingredients:
- Rice, meat (rabbit and chicken, for example), fresh prawns, oil and salt.
- Green beans, peppers, onions, peas and tomatoes.
- Garlic, parsley, bouillon cube.
- Sepia, beef broth, paprika.
- Saffron coloring.
Preparation:
1) Put some oil in a pan and fry the prawns. Remove them and leave them aside when they are ready.
2) Fry small pieces of chicken and rabbit with garlic (if desired). Season.
3) When the meat is ready, add half onion finely chopped.
4) Add the chopped cuttlefish when the onion is half done. Let it brown.
5) Add the vegetables: chopped green beans, chopped red and green peppers, peas, etc..
6) With the vegetables already fried, add red pepper and then 1 or 2 ripe tomatoes, grated.
7) Mix for several minutes.
8) Calculate a cup of rice per person and the add one extra more (4 people = 5 cups of rice / 7 people = 8 cups of rice).
9) Add the rice and stir.
10) When everything is well blended, add the broth twice the rice (4 people = 5 cups of rice = 10 cups of broth). Then, add also some saffron.
11) Crush 2 or 3 heads of garlic, parsley and beef stock cube in a mortar.
12) Add the fried prawns and the chopped garlic and parsley that we have already prepared.
13) Remove the set slightly.
14) Cook 10 minutes over high heat.
15) Reduce heat and cook 5 more minutes.
16) If the rice is dry soon, add more broth.
Tip: Before serving, remove the shrimp, stir to put the bottom to the surface, and all ingredients will be very well mixed.
Paella can be accompanied with a good red wine (eg Coto de Imaz - DO Rioja) or a fresh bottle of good white wine (such as Torres Viña Esmeralda - DO Catalunya).
We hope you enjoy it very much! Bon appetit!
Coming next
PART IV: Sardanas and SevillanasPrevioslyPART II: El vermut